For beverage containers on the shelf, standing out tends to be the name of the game. To create a differentiated shelf presence, beverage packages often flaunt different shapes, materials and styles. End-of-aisle, retail-ready displays of different shapes and sizes can add to the shelf appeal.
“[Retailers] all want something different on their shelf,” says Mike Wilcox, vice president of sales, marketing and after-market sales at Delkor Systems Inc., St. Paul, Minn. Some want a package that can go directly on the shelf, others want to minimize material, and still others want a different look or packaging size or case size, he says. “It puts a lot of challenge on the beverage producers and consequently the machine builders to accommodate this demand.”